37580RE: [Distillers] Re: What proof is preservative?

If you decide on 25% as a safe concentration, or even 43%, when whatever
disaster they are afraid of strikes, it'll be the happiest damned disaster
on record.

You're kinda turning into a spoil-sport.

Zymurgy Bob, a simple potstiller

>From: "Harry" <gnikomson2000@...>
>Reply-To: Distillers@yahoogroups.com
>To: Distillers@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [Distillers] Re: What proof is preservative?
>Date: Fri, 03 Nov 2006 09:03:35 -0000
>
>--- In Distillers@yahoogroups.com, Robert Thomas <whosbrewing@...>
>wrote:
> >
> > Hi Richard,
> > you'll need much higher %ages and preferably acidic. As an analogy,
> > think how easy beer turns to vinegar, and how much more difficult
>it is
> > to have 12% wine go off (it still does though). Alcohol as a
>sterilant
> > swab is usually ca 50% (higher is actually less effective, for
>reasons
> > I won't go into).
> > I suppose you are thinking of storing largish quantities, otherwise
> > distillation (or even boiling - preferably 2 times with 3 days
>between
> > to kill spores) would be good.
> > cheers
> > Rob.
>
>
>16%+ abv is the sterility cutoff point vintners advocate in wines.
>This prevents most (not all) microbes. For short term (several
>months) it's fine. For long term, think 20%+. This is one of the
>main reasons that wine was consumed as a hydrating liquid in
>preference to water in the dark ages, as it was known that strong
>wine could withstand spoilage by bacteria. However the logic was
>flawed.
>
>Bubonic plague (black death) was thought at the time to be spread by
>rats pissing in the water supply. More recent investigation has
>proven that it is spread mostly by infected fleas ravenously sucking
>blood from host animals, notably rats, but also dogs, cats, deer,
>and human lice. Rats urine spreads a different (but still very
>nasty) disease called 'leptospirosis'.
>
>Slainte!
>regards Harry
>
>
>
>
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